Assassin's Luck
by Xenra
Summary: What would happen if Gon and Killua never met? Obviously, Gon would become a Hunter. But what of his silver haired friend? Well, Killua would grow up to be the head of his family and Ging would hire him to assassinate his one and only son. Only logical, yes? (KilluaxGon)
1. Prologue

A/N: Hi there! *bows* I'm Xen, and this is my first crack at a HxH story! I'm about two thirds finished with the manga right now, so I hope I didn't mess anything up. Please review to let me know how I did. uwu

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Gather the nen into the feet, crouch, jump and you will find yourself suspended in mid-air. Ging Freeces had never had any trouble with this particular skill. In fact, he'd never had much trouble with any of the nen skills. There were some that were more troublesome than others, and each one became just the most minuscule amount more difficult as he aged further and further past his prime, but the difference was not noticeable in any way. When you were one of the best, you were one of the best.

This particular skill, being able to practically levitate, came in handy when trying to infiltrate the certain home of a certain famous family of assassins, that was for sure. The Gate of Trials was too easily seen, and much too public for a covert operation such as this one. So instead of going in the more formal route he simply walked his way over their 'impenetrable' wall.

Once on the other side, dropping back to the ground, he found himself in a dense forest, as he knew he would. There was the scent of a very large animal here. Of course having done his research he knew it was Mike, the Zoldyck guard dog. He also knew the creature was perfectly trained and wouldn't think twice before tearing him to pieces, no matter how good with animals he normally was. Being over twenty feet tall and more vicious than even a mother foxbear, Mike would draw far too much attention if Ging were forced to fight him. And what was more it was a fight he wasn't necessarily sure he would come out unscathed from.

The man gave a wicked little grin, adrenaline already pumping through his system. Outwardly though, as always, he was completely calm and in control. This was the part of being a Hunter he loved the most it seemed- the danger. However, using zestu there was only a small chance of Mike finding him by scent so far away from the gate and that took some of the fun out of it.

At the same time he knew the that same risk was too high and fighting the outstanding canine was the worst thing that could happen to his plan. Staying under the creature's radar was really his only choice right now. To help with that he'd worn several rather pungent herbs on a string around his neck to block out his natural odor. It lowered the risk considerably, and for the first day as he traveled through the thickly wooded grounds he was able to simply walk amongst the trees without any other forms of protection. But he knew things would sky rocket the closer he got to the house and so he kept on grinning.

Just as he thought, as he closed the distance between himself and the enormous mansion (a natural sense of direction had led him first two the butlers' quarters on the first day and then the main facility the second) the risk of being caught had gone through the roof. The professional Hunter was forced to travel by treetop, sprinting nimbly along branches that were practically interwoven, creating a nice cover though it only worked from afar.

Much to Ging's pleasure (and much more to his ego) he arrived at the mansion completely unspotted on the dusk of his second day. He was sure that someone, probably one of the butlers, knew that not everything was quite as it should be. The longer he staid, it seemed, the more security increased. More than anything it was just a gut feeling. Thankfully though, the Zoldyck staff appeared unable to pinpoint exactly what the problem was, probably working off of gut feelings of their own and nothing more. Which pleased Ging greatly. So feeling bold and maybe just a little too clever for his own good, he decided to walk right in through the front door. He did it at such speeds that only the most trained of eyes would be able to see him, and when there wasn't a soul was within a two hundred yard vicinity, but still, it added to his insult of sneaking into the Zoldyck home in the first place. Not that his goal was to insult, but being proud as ever the Hunter couldn't really help that kind of thought pattern.

Unfortunately, Ging's luck took a small leave (or perhaps it was merely karma repaying him) as he spent the next thirty minutes wandering through the halls of the ginormous house frantically trying to find the right room. There were no blue prints and he had absolutely no idea what the layout of the building looked like. He was basically working blind, something that he'd done before but never in such a dangerous situation. Despite this handicap he did eventually find what he was looking for; the master study.

A large fire crackled against one wall, the rest of its surface taken up by floor to ceiling bookcases. None of them appeared to have been touched in other walls were covered in mosaic like windows, but thick purple curtains were draped across them and so they provided no natural light. In fact, the only light in the entire room seemed to be coming from that one fire, illuminating a single oak desk in the corner.

Ging entered with all of his senses on high- just like they'd been for the past two days while on this mission. He knew he'd found the right room when he spotted a shock of silvery hair poking above an elegant chair that sat before the fire. The person there did not move, but taking one step closer Ging suddenly knew his presence had been known for some time now.

The other being did not react immediately, or for that matter, at all. It continued to sit as it was, presumably staring into the red and orange flames or maybe reading a book. It was only after Ging had stood there, relaxed and unmoving himself, that he finally got a response.

"What are you doing in my home?" The voice was cold, lifeless.

"I have a job that I'd like to hire for," was Ging's response. There was no hesitation, he knew exactly what he was here for.

"And you had to throw my staff into disarray because...? They knew you were here, you know, just not where. Threw them into quite the little tizzy. Too much fuss if you ask me." He was playing, this other person. He knew most of Ging's angle already and now he simply wanted to dangle him on a string until he could pick the Hunter apart piece by piece. That's what the aging man loved about these people. Their innate ability to not care one way or another and yet they possession of a love for dissecting their enemy. At least this Zoldyck.

Ging laughed quietly before moving forward to take the chair opposite the other. A pair of deep cerulean eyes watched his every moment without actually looking at him.

"I needed to gain your attention first," was his simple response, smile small but genuine. Oh how being in this person's presence made his heart pound. Even if the other was a mere teen, he was probably one of the few people who surpassed Ging in both strength and skill, and both parties knew it. His body itched desperately for a fight but he quelled the urge mentally.

"Well you've certainly gotten it." Nothing more, though there was a touch of amusement in that otherwise empty voice.

"Good." Ging leaned forward in his seat, placing his elbows on his knees and looking this pale figure, body turned flame orange by the fire, up and down for a few seconds. He didn't look like much, but he knew appearances could always be deceiving in this world of mind games and tricks. "My proposition is a simple one. I came to you because you're the best at what you do."

"You want someone assassinated." Not a question, a statement, and still those blank eyes never once flicked in the Hunter's direction.

"Bingo!" A large grin on Ging's part. "I'm going to have to ask you for something in particular though. I don't want you to send out any of your family members. If I hire you for this job, I hire you and no one else."

That seemed to grab the teen's attention and for the very first time his gaze came to rest on Ging's face. He couldn't help but shiver a little under it. If eyes were the window to the soul than this man had none.

"Who is it exactly you wish for me to kill? I'm not a man who likes to waste his time."

Ging's smile just widened further. "Ah, trust me, this isn't just any old Joe I'm sending you after. It's my son, Gon Freeces. I'm sure you've heard the name. He's a rather famous Hunter."

The other party was silent for a moment, not in astonishment or because he was thinking but simply because he wanted that silence in the air for whatever reason. This Zoldyck never did anything without a finally crafted reason. Finally he murmured a small, "Indeed, I have. And the payment?"

"100 Billion Jennies. It's being transacted to a bank account of yours as we speak."

This seemed to please the other as he nodded quietly. "It will be done." The words were final, dismissing, and Ging understood the hint. Standing up, he left the room, unafraid of turning his back on the one and only Killua Zoldyck, head and master of the Zoldyck family.

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Ah, hello again. Please don't forget to review. But really I wanted to put a little note down here that I'm looking for a beta, someone to help me review and fix up my writing. Let me know if you're interested!

~Xen


	2. Chapter One

A/N; Hey there! I'm back with chapter one! I know it kind of took a while, but I hope the wait wasn't too horribly long. I try not to leave readers wanting for very long because I know how frustrating it can be. So I hope you enjoy the chapter!

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Five foot nine and weighing one hundred and seventy pounds. These two facts were the only things Killua could glean from the internet on Gon Freeces' appearance. (He wasn't aware, but Ging had gone through and personally erased the majority of the information on his son simply to give the assassin more of a challenge.) It was plenty for him to work off of though, already giving the eighteen year old boy a fair mental image of the person he was hunting.

Capabilities and powers, as well as location of course, were the other things the assassin attempted to look up.m. Unfortunately, even before Ging swooped in to erase much of his son's impact, there wasn't anything to find on Gon's abilities. Location was a different story, on the other hand. In fact, Killua was able to pinpoint this down to an exact hotel room. Suite 205 at the Lucky Lion Hotel in York New City. On top of that he also found out that the Hunter was in that area because he'd recently been hired by one Mr. Dirndl, a famous gem collector world wide. (Ging wasn't as tech savy as he liked to believe)

The silver haired teen smirked as he stood from the computer. Milluki certainly wasn't the only one who could hack into websites, even if he was older. Killua, after all, was head of the family for a very obvious reason. He was better than all of his siblings. Not only physically speaking, but mentally as well. His brain just worked so much faster, and with the development of turning his aura into electricity, so did his body. It was only natural that he succeed their father. It had been decided since the day he was born, though he'd never known just quite why until he'd fully tapped into all of his potential and seen how great he really was, and therefore how much the family needed him to lead them.

Leaving straight from Padokea via airship, Killua was able to reach York New in only a matter of days. During that time he continued to monitor Gon, though the Hunter seemed to be staying put for now thankfully. The assassin hated targets that were always jumping from one place to another. They weren't a problem to take care of, obviously, but they usually weren't worth the hassle. Scratch that, they were never worth the hassle.

Needles to say, the trip was dull and uneventful. Trained to never loose his patience though, Killua found it bearable. Upon landing at the airport in York New, he went straight to the Lucky Lion Hotel. Despite knowing his target's build, he hadn't found a single picture, and until he caught at least a glimpse of Gon he was never going to be able to pick him out in a crowd without revealing himself. (The easiest way of course being to use Gyou or en to see who had the aura of a Hunter, but if that person had even the bare minimum of training they'd be able to sense the other party. While they may not see the other they would certainly be on the alert now.)

Suite 205 was on the tenth floor (there were twenty floors in total, the Lucky Lion being one of the most esteemed hotels in the entire city) and was considerably larger than most of the regular rooms. It certainly wasn't as big as the suites at the very top of the hotel, but it was spacious and very comfortable nonetheless.

Killua had no issues getting into the room through the front door. For the briefest of seconds he'd released his en and found that no one was behind the suite's one and only door. From there it was easy to shoot a small amount of electricity into the key reader under the handle and trick it into unlocking the door.

With an unreadable expression the young assassin entered the suite, already slipping into a complete and total state of zestu. He closed the door behind himself before moving quickly and quietly through the large rooms. In total there were four; a bedroom, a bathroom, a small kitchen and what looked like a sort of sitting room with two couches and a television.

It was obvious someone had been living here for a while (two weeks exactly according to Killua's information). There were clothes tucked neatly into the dresser in the bedroom, but also a fair amount spread about on the floor as if discarded without a worry about cleanliness. The bed hadn't been made, there were dirty dishes in the kitchen, and the fridge was readily stocked.

All of this Killua took in without a word. The little details gave him an insight into the person he was hunting, but none of them were the characteristics he was looking for. In truth, all he could tell was that Gon didn't spend a good amount of time here, didn't mind a little mess but wasn't overly chaotic. He also wasn't very interested in technology as the tv was unused and a cell phone (probably bought out of recommendation rather than need) sat on the kitchen counter, left behind.

These things were stored away in the assassin's mind, just in case they might be useful at some later point. He'd been taught from birth to never count anything as useless least he get careless and allow a target to get the best of him. Even now, the head of the family with skills that could put the best on their knees in a matter of seconds, he never strayed from his teachings. An adequate description would be a puppet. Though Killua may be allowed to lead the Zoldyck family, his father and Illumi controlled him with invisible, taught and unbreakable strings to this day. Being aware of said strings was something completely different, however. They'd trained him to a T, so of course they would pound in an undying loyalty as well as obedience.

When he was done looking the hotel room over, Killua positioned himself in one of the corners of the ceiling where many shadows gathered. Blending himself into them carefully, he used every technique ever taught to virtually erase his presence all together. Surveillance would be a snap from here.

The assassin was not disappointed when he heard a set of footsteps outside the door approximately three hours later. There had been two before, but one had been wearing heels and the other was too light to be Gon. Before the steps even stopped in front of the door, Killua knew that this was his target.  
There was a quiet beep, a silver doorknob twisted, and in stepped the Hunter. The first thing Killua noticed was the black, spiked hair. It stood out in wild tufts on the teen's head, tips a dark green color.

Next was the strong build. Surprisingly his target was rather short and stocky. Not overly muscled or even buff for that matter, but nobody could mistake the strength that was held in those lean arms or wide shoulders. Killua guessed he was only a couple of inches shorter than himself, but probably outweighed him by a good fifty pounds.

Gon moved around the suite, humming quietly to himself as he went about his business. He'd slipped a backpack off at the door and it rested there against the wall now, a long fishing pole sticking out of one of the pockets. It looked worn but sturdy and well taken care of. The Hunter seemed to be repairing its hook, disappearing first into the kitchen with the bright red lure and returning again with a new, four pronged hook. Sitting on the couch he broke the fishing wire with his teeth and disentangled the lure from the rather rusty metal before stringing it together with the new hook. All the while he kept his head down and gaze fixed on what he was doing. It was a little frustrating as Killua was trying to get a glimpse of his features but he didn't dare attempt to get Gon to look up.

His target had just put the lure and hook back onto his rod when there was a quiet knock at the door. The assassin started a little. He'd been so busy trying to memorize, categorize and figure out Gon that he hadn't even heard the approaching footsteps.

The Hunter opened the door to reveal a man of twenty or so, heavily scared with eyes that looked quiet but faintly haunted.

"Gon," the new arrival murmured, giving the hunter a quick pat on the shoulder before moving past him and taking a seat on the sofa. He had blonde hair that hung neatly around his pale face.

"Kurapika, I'm so glad you could make it," Gon replied. Though he seemed happy to see this...friend? he sounded slightly unsure of himself as he closed the door and sat down adjacent to him.

Wait...Kurapika. Killua knew that name. It had been in the papers a while back, and all over the news. The man who had single handedly destroyed the Phantom Troupe once and for all. It had come with a heavy price though, obvious in the blonde man's limp and the scars stretching over his handsome features. Not to mention the permanent loss of his nen. The broken warrior would never be fighting again.

"It's good to see you." The blonde smiled gently, still looking distracted. "I can't help wondering why you would contact me after all of these years though. You've been a great friend to me, but our paths will never cross naturally again. Don't you think it would be best to let things slip away?"

Gon blinked a few times, doe brown eyes wide with what looked like confusion. Damn, he was easy to read. Killua could probably guess what was coming next, and as it was, he guessed mostly correct.

"I don't care if you're not a Hunter anymore, Kurapika, you're my friend. The only reason we fell out of contact is because of my mission with those chimera ants. It took years, but now I'm back and I wanted to catch up with you-" There was a pause and Gon seemed to falter. Kurapika cocked his head to the side, dull eyes curious.

"But..." he prodded.

"But not here. Why don't we go to that little cafe across town? There's someone watching us. I'm not sure where he is, but I've felt his presence since I walked in a few minutes ago." Brown eyes that had previously been soft and warm were suddenly chipped like stone and harder than steel as Gon glanced around the room. Not nervously or even with fear, but more with a steady determination. Killua couldn't stop himself from gritting his teeth as an unwanted shiver traveled down his spine. Who the fuck was this guy anyways? No one had ever been able to sense him while on a hunt. Ever.

Kurapika looked slightly taken aback but didn't question his friend, just stood from the couch with a nod. With one final glance around the room, the dark haired boy followed suit, moving to the door and ushering his friend through.

"I don't know who you are, or what you want, but I don't really mind you spying on me or whatever. Just know you're not going to find any openings to attack me." The door closed with a soft click that resounded in Killua's ears.

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Please point out any mistakes to me if you see them! I'm still looking for a beta but unfortunately haven't been very successful. Of course I do edit the story myself but since I also wrote it, I tend to miss quite a few things. Anyways, please comment and let me know how I'm doing with our lovely boys!

~Xen


	3. Chapter Two

A/N: Good day readers. It's been a while since I last updated, but I finally finished chapter two! A little more action here so I hope you like it. =3 Be sure to comment.

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"I'm sorry but the closest we can get you to the Jungle is Ami City, and that's a good fifty miles to have to walk, kid. You sure that's okay?"

Gon smiled wide, fifty miles wouldn't take him but a couple of hours. "Perfect."

The Captain seemed a little taken aback but then laughed loudly in that full belly way that all sailor's seemed to have and clapped the teen on the back. "Alright kid, I'll give you a ride. The fare is twenty jennies. You can pay now or when we board tomorrow."

"I've got the cash now," the Hunter responded, still smiling radiantly. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out several crumpled bills and handed them over. He had more money stashed elsewhere but he liked to keep a little on his person in case anything interesting or yummy caught his eye.

Captain Mariam counted them quickly before giving a nod and putting them in his own pocket. "All settled then. Be here tomorrow at noon, boy. That's when we'll be heading out."

Gon made a little 'mm' noise to ensure that he'd heard before making his way back down the dock, turning to wave once. Busy sailors bustled around him, loading cargo into the large brigantine floating peacefully behind Miriam. Before he got in anyone's way, the Hunter hurried on down the dock and moved into the small stream of people walking along the ship's yard.

He'd been searching for a few weeks now for a voyage that would get him anywhere near the infamous Jungle. Though the name was simplistic, there was really no reason to give it a proper one. The huge forest dominated the lower half of Airin, a good sized continent to the east of Padokea. Everyone knew about 'the Jungle', about its mythical creatures and the dangers it held. Ami City, a small port, was probably the closest civilization for miles, and Gon counted himself lucky that he'd found a ship willing to take him there. (Or rather, one that was already headed there that he could hitch a ride on.)

Mr. Dirndl was ecstatic that he'd been able to hire a Hunter. There were ancient rumors that a very precious gem lie hidden in the depths of the Jungle, known as the Heart of the Jungle. It had never been seen or recorded so many people believed the story to be just that, a story. But not Mr. Dirndl. With his enormous precious stone collection and eccentric ways, he was determined to get his hands on that gem. And that's where Gon came in. His only job was to make his was into the Jungle and find it, and if he did the pay he received would be incredible. Enough to feed an entire town for ten years or more. That's not really why he volunteered to do it though. Money wasn't a big deal to the dark haired teen. After all, he could survive on nothing but his own skills for the rest of his life and be perfectly content doing it. No, it wasn't the money he was looking for. It was simply the adventure.

It was amazing, but despite all of the wild tales and fantasies that fluttered about, little birds on opaque wings, not a single person had ever even seen the Jungle. Not within the common population anyways. There were Hunters who'd been; some who had died, and others who had lived. From these people Gon had attempted to gather information, but tracking down Hunters was a pesky task, especially when a lot of them were unwilling to even really talk to him. The true adventure seekers (not the brash, haughty ones, those always died) often lived in odd places, usually alone, and didn't take being trodden upon lightly. The teen's good nature and well tuned manners had put him at a disadvantage here and so the things he'd managed to glean had been little. It didn't bother him though, not one bit.

There was a shift in the pattern of the crowd and Gon sensed it immediately, on low alert now, though you wouldn't guess by his relaxed composure. Someone was following him. He instantly recognized it as the same person who'd been in his hotel room the day before, a quiet, curious aura that tickled the edge of his awareness like a smell or memory that you couldn't quite place. A small crease appeared in his brow. Who was it and what did they want from him? Honestly, with as low of a profile he kept (or so he thought) there couldn't be a lot of people who wanted him dead. Unless the follower was after something else...?

Elongating his stride, the dark teen picked up an easy jog, tensing his shoulders a bit so that he wouldn't bump into anyone as he moved. Once again, there was a shift in the crowd, more noticeable this time and he couldn't help but smirk. Interesting that this masked figure was tailing him.

The ship's yard had a simple design; there was a large stone walkway that ran parallel to the water, many feet wide. Opposite the water there were pubs, warehouses and small, pleasant restaurants. Allyes varying in width slid between these buildings, dark little places when they were narrow, and sunny walkways where they were wide. Judging the distance of his follower, Gon picked out one of these allyes two buildings down and set his sights for it. The shop in front was one he knew, a seafood place he liked to visit on occasion with an apartment above it, and because of this he happened to know that the ally next to it had a tall, stone wall that kept it from opening up onto another road on the other side. The warehouse behind it, or next, however you wish to view the picture, was also two stories tall. Perfect.

Just a few steps from the entrance, Gon put on a sudden burst of speed and rounded the corner in a flash. In the same instant he also closed off his aura and presence as entirely as he knew how and leapt onto the ledge of a second story window. The height of the restaurant kept him mostly invisible from the street.

The crowd was too far now and not visible enough for the dark haired teen to know if there was a change, but he had a feeling his follower would not be pleased to loose sight. Throw in a sudden cut off of aura and it might just make this person reckless...

Not even five seconds had passed and there was a distinct movement in the alley below, a pale blur hardly visible within shadow. Even with Gon's training he couldn't follow the source of said movement entirely, but luckily for him it paused, head swiveling as if trying to catch a scent on the breeze.

The Hunter didn't think twice before stepping off his ledge and landing in a crouch behind the other person, a quick "Who are you?" on his lips. In that small flash of a second he caught blue eyes, a color of blue that was neither the ocean or the sky and yet was more endless than both. But than the man (or woman, the scent that lingered was both masculine and feminine) was gone, and despite the dark haired teen's best efforts, he was not found again.

Meanwhile, just outside the city limits, Killua attempted to catch his breath beneath a large oak tree, heavy with moss and green with Summer. His heart pounded wildly within his chest, a tempo so fast it was akin to the beating of a humming bird's wings. This was not out of exhaustion however, or physical stress. In fact, physically the assassin was perfectly fine. The short flight had hardly cost him any energy whatsoever. And yet his head still spun.

Of course he'd realized that Gon was laying out a trap for him, how could he not? And yet he'd overestimated himself, creeping through dark shadows along the edge of the alley as if he might discern just where the Hunter was hiding. Perhaps he thought the teen had just decided to flee in an attempt to loose him. Either way, walking in there had been a mistake.

His target had dropped suddenly behind him and yet Killua had not moved fast enough. If he had wanted to, he could have been gone before the Hunter even reached the ground. Instead his feet had stayed stuck in place for a split second, looking back to catch Gon's gaze with his own before he finally found his speed. Just that short instance had electrified him though.

Seeing those dark eyes from a distance was one thing. Having them focused on you was another; so visible that he'd seen the darkness of pupil contract, seen little gold flecks around it, seen how the brown darkened as it edged outward, ever heavy and rich, like chocolate. And of course the intense focus in them, curiosity and determination and excitement and...and what?

Killua straightened suddenly, shaking the thoughts from his head rather violently. What was he doing, getting all worked up over a pair of eyes? Jesus, Illumi would have said he'd gone crazy. And who's to say he hadn't?

A pale hand placed itself over his heart, feeling its strong beat there and feeling it reverberate throughout his entire body. Adrenaline. That's what this addicting feeling was. How long had it been since his blood had been peaked? How long since his veins had boiled and his body trembled, fight and flight warring in his core?

It was nice, he decided. He wanted more.

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I wanted to leave a nice little note down here that in my original idea for this story, Kurapika was going to play a much bigger role. But now I'm thinking not...so that might be a loose end here guys gomen. Just know that he's living happily with Leorio and has a lovely little job in a library. So yeah...there you go. uwu

And don't forget to leave me a comment!

~Xen


	4. Chapter Three

A/N: Wow, surprised to see me again so soon? Yeah, me too. Unfortunately I don't really like this chapter...but the action starts up after this so...

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Killua frowned into the mirror, running his hand through newly shortened hair and not liking the way it felt between his fingers. Unfortunately, Gon had caught a glimpse of him today, which meant he had to change his appearance. Such a shame too, his hair had been getting long again, almost ready to be tied up behind his head. He liked it that long. Now it hung choppily above his ears, not only cut but dyed a dull black as well. The color made his skin appear ghastly and sick, not helped by a pair of brown contacts that turned his eyes yellowish green. Change his clothes as well to those of a merchant and the Hunter shouldn't recognize him. He'd just have to be careful about his aura while aboard the ship.

Honestly the assassin didn't like having to chase his prey, but in this case he wasn't being given much of a choice. Gon left via boat tomorrow. Between now and then, the chances of finding a opening to off the Hunter were entirely too slim. Normally he'd just slit his throat while on the ship, but no that wouldn't work either because there were so few passengers. Suspicion could too easily fall onto his shoulders.

Another glance in the mirror and a small snarl (Killua hated disguises) and then he was gone, back into the cheap motel room he'd rented to plan until tomorrow. (Aka, sulk, he really liked long hair)

Gon had to squint his eyes against the reflection of the sun's bright light off the water. The harbor sparkled, a gentle breeze urging small ripples across the surface, making it appear as restless as the boats that sat upon it. They bobbed by the docks, sails fluttering as passengers and crew bustled about. On one boat in particular, energy seemed to be concentrated.

The brigantine's name was Mertyle, a strong ship with three masts and good sailors aboard her. Gon made his way up the gangplank and onto the main deck, Captain Miriam giving a smile and a nod as he passed. Others who were bound for Ami City stood about, some looking nervous and others just bored.

The sun was high in the sky and when his shadow fell completely underneath him, Miriam gave the sign to set sail. A sailor down on the dock was just pulling the gangplank away when a sickly looking man came running up, out of breath as he desperately dashed on board, crew cursing him as he passed. Had he not been waving the fare of twenty Jennies over his head, Miriam would not have let him on. As it was, he hardly made it.

Gon watched with half an eye as the man said a few words to the Captain before leaning against the rail of the ship to catch his breath. He really didn't look well. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew continued with their preparations until the freshly unfurled sails caught a good breeze and the Myrtyle slowly pulled away from her port.

Personally, the Hunter loved sea travel. The wind carried a strong scent of salt and an odd freshness that only came from the ocean, and he took a deep breath of it. Their trip would take a few weeks and he was looking forward to it, always one to enjoy the gentle rock of a ship and the hustle and bustle of the sailors. A lot of times, if they were good natured enough, he was allowed to crawl around in the masts, finding the flat wooden places where one could sit back and relax, and the odd ropes one must climb to get there.

Gon's attention was drawn again when Miriam clapped his hands, calling for the passengers to gather around him. The ship had three levels below deck, the very bottom being for cargo, the second having the crew's quarters as well as the mess hall, and the the top most having eleven cabins, the largest and foremost being the Captain's, the other ten much smaller and for guests.

"Each one has a number on its door, but I'm not about to assign em out to ya, so it's up to you to stake a claim to one. I will say though, that there will be no fighting or stealing on my ship. So keep your fingers to yourself and don't go creeping around other people's rooms. Other than that, breakfast is at seven sharp, dinner at ten. Try to stay out of the crew's way and don't go down to the cargo area, there's nothing for ya down there. If you get sea sick, do it over the railing. Other than that, just don't be a hassle. We've got a few weeks to spend together and I don't want there being any animosity between y'all."

With that the Captain gave a nod and went to stand up at the helm of his ship, giving orders as the Myrtyle navigated her way out of the harbor and into the open sea.

Gon ended up in cabin number six, finding a small bed and a trunk available to him there. Since he hadn't brought anything with him besides his backpack and fishing rod, it stayed empty as these he just left leaning against the wall.

Other than himself, there were seven passengers; a woman and her small daughter, an older man of about seventy, the sickly man who was late, a young girl in her early teen's and her twin brother and a rather small woman with rich, exotic looking clothes. None of them were exactly talkative at first, and for a few days they only really saw each other at meals. Gon quickly made friends with the sailors and spent his time in the ship's intricate rigging though. Where everyone else was, he had no idea.

After about the first week everyone began warming up to one another a bit. The twins were Ally and Sally and they were looking for adventure. The old man, named Denien, was a citizen of Ami City and had only left to visit some relatives. Adriana and her daughter Daisy were looking for a fresh start, and Selver, the sickly man, was simply looking for a place to start his new business. As for the exotic woman, she stayed to herself and rarely spoke even as the voyage wore on.

It had been their second day out when the Hunter had realized his follower from York New was on the ship. He'd been hanging from a net, shielding his face with one hand as he looked out to sea to catch the crisp breeze on his tongue when a small shift in the air had alerted him. It was the vague taste of a familiar aura, the feeling of eyes on the back of his neck. He didn't move like he'd noticed, only bringing his gaze around slowly to glance at the deck of the ship. Only Miriam and several sailors were visible. Gon pursed his lips, the aura gone like nothing but a mere memory.

He wasn't terribly worried that he was still being followed, but this other person's devotion interested him. Why go through all the trouble of getting a disguise and boarding this ship to the middle of nowhere with him? Honestly, was there a bounty on his head that he wasn't aware of or something? Or maybe he just had a really big secret admirer.

Thinking back, the dark haired teen pulled up the very brief memory he had of his stalker. Cerulean blue eyes, a pale wisp within a shadow, a lingering scent of something sweet yet musky. Not really enough to go on, but it was all he had. It was then that he started making mental profiles for each of the seven passengers.

Leaning against the railing of the ship, Gon looked over the few who happened to be on deck with him in the early morning light, stretching their limbs and letting the brisk wind pull their hair into knots. Eight days in and he still wasn't sure. Honestly none of them had really peaked him as being his follower, but that didn't mean he was just going to close his eyes.

For the most part, he'd ruled out Adriana, Ally and Sally. But that still left three people under his mild suspicion. Considering this person hadn't yet proved themselves dangerous, finding them wasn't his top priority. He was more concerned with enjoying himself. Besides, why whisk the passengers into a flurry with personal questions and other such snooping? If whoever was following him intended to show themselves they'd do it eventually. If not, then oh well.

The sudden call of a seabird caught the Hunter's attention, an odd sound for being in the middle of the ocean. They'd left most birds behind miles ago. In the distance there was a whole flock of them, flying in on soft wings, feathers streaked with the dull colors that allowed them to prey on fish below. They called to one another, coming together to create odd formations before falling apart once more.

Had their talk not been so distressed he simply would have thought there was an island nearby and think nothing of it. However, their voices carried notes of danger and warning and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight.

Brown eyes tracked their movement through the sky then traced their flight back towards the horizon, watching clouds scuttle in on a wind that seemed to be picking up speed every second. The water, as well, seemed to be more restless than usual, the top churning itself into a froth and lapping eagerly at the Myrtyle's sides.

"There's a storm coming!" came the cry from the sailor in the crow's nest, telescope pointed out to sea.

"Get inside," Gon ordered, turning back to face the other passengers. They looked slightly alarmed before deciding they didn't really want to be caught in the rain and moved below deck obediently. Miriam emerged just as they disappeared, face turned towards the sky and looking grim.

The Hunter glanced back out at the horizon, spotting a line of dark clouds forming in the distance. He knew why the Captain suddenly looked so heavy. Heaven help them, a hurricane was rolling in.

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So, can you see why I don't like this chapter? Well, whatever. Just bear with me my lovelies. I didn't spend a whole lot of time on it.

~Xen


	5. Chapter Four

A/N; Okay, wow, I've been writing these chapters really fast lately. I hope it doesn't reflect badly in the writing/story telling? Sigh, well I've found someone willing to beta for me so starting next chapter they'll all be reviewed by her first.

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Consciousness came to Killua in tiny, broken fragments. They fit themselves together in an intricate design not yet discernible, the colorful but meaningless shards of a stained glass window. First and foremost was a vague and rather hazy awareness. There was self and there were sensations; heavy, uncomfortable clothes, salt on his skin, salt on his tongue, sun shining brightly behind his eyelids.

Ocean his mind supplied when he picked up the sound of water rising and receding, a steady rhythm that echoed the pound of his heart in his skull.

Ocean. I'm on the ocean. Another sound met his ears, that of rustling fabric, a soft breeze. The ship's sails, he decided.

The Myrtyle. I must be on the deck. What happened? Why am I on the deck?

Drifting memories of the night before passed through his mind's eye, many half forgotten or too dark to see. Others painted an incomplete picture of a storm. That was right, wasn't it? Yes, a storm hit the ship. Sailors running, cursing, lightning hitting the main mast, falling on that woman. Adriana? Yes, Adriana, her daughter crying out and Gon tossing her over one shoulder, shushing her. Waves, water, Miriam shouting out orders that were lost to the sound of the sea. Rocking, thrashing, the ship groaning like a mighty beast. And then? And then...he didn't know.

Killua blinked open his eyes slowly, forced to squint until the sun was perhaps not so harsh on them. His irises remained the dull greenish brown color his contacts made them and slowly they adjusted until he could gaze successfully up at a broad, blue sky. There were no clouds in sight, only small wheeling birds with high pitched voices.

For a moment he contemplated this scene and its lack of masts, searching perhaps for the familiar sway of the boat beneath him. When it was not felt, he turned his head to the side, searching now for the railing. Instead he was met with sand. And water. A beach, stretching out for yard after yard before it curled back on itself and was lost to his view. A fucking beach.

The assassin let out a small groan, pushing himself up onto his elbows and then into a siting position. He noted duly the ache in his body but was more interested in scanning the ocean in front of him for any signs of the ship. Did he just fall overboard? Did it run aground or something? He was still preoccupied in his thoughts when a voice called out behind him, "Hey, you're awake!"

Killua turned quickly, regretting it because of the way his vision swam (must have hit his head at some point) to see Gon standing at the edge of a thick tree line, waving one handedly. (Not rustling fabric then, just the wind in the leaves.) So apparently he wasn't the only one stranded.

The dark haired teen trotted over, lowering himself to sit down next to the assassin. He was carrying his left arm oddly, bent at the elbow and tucked against his stomach. It was swollen and heavily bruised just a few inches behind the wrist, suggesting a break. His clothes, too, looked worse for wear. Long jeans had been rolled up to his knees, and a black tank top was full of holes and dirty where it looked like he'd been wiping his hands on it.

"Are you okay, Selver? I didn't see what happened to you, but you look a mess," the Hunter quipped, brown eyes roving over hair caught between white and black and pale skin.

Killua reached up to run his fingers over a large bump on the side of his head, feeling blood there from an open gash and wincing a little. "Yeah, I'm fine. What happened, where is everyone?" Might as well play nice until he could kill the poor sucker and get out of here.

Looking away, Gon pursed his lips a little before he answered. "A hurricane hit us last night. It was terrible. The whole ship sank. As far as I know, everyone else is dead. I just finished burying Daisy. I tried to save her so hers is the only body I found."

Wide eyes and the nervous lick of his lips made Killua appear slightly distraught, at which Gon simply laughed. "You can stop pretending now, I know you're the one who's been following me."

Hold up...Well fuck. Now what? Honestly the assassin had never been in a situation like this before. His identity had been revealed, at least somewhat. What was he supposed to do now? Fess up or continue lying? A mixture of both maybe? Killua glanced over and was suddenly ensnared by curious eyes, wide and deep and pure yet tainted, the first time he'd ever truly looked Gon head on. It took all of his will power to pull his own gaze away, and even then, words bubbled up to his lips without his permission.

"I'm an assassin. Killua Zoldyck. You're my target and I've been following you for a while now. I intend to kill you before I get off this island." Or at least he was assuming it was an island. Wait...why was he saying this again? Fuck, the head injury must be worse than he thought.

Then the Hunter did the most extraordinary thing. He laughed. He was alone with a murderer, ship-wrecked, dirty from burying the corpse of a young girl, and he laughed. Killua's eyes widened, unbelieving.

"I see!" the dark haired teen crowed. "So that's it then, huh? You're just going to kill me? Well, Killua, let me propose something to you first. How about you let me heal up that head wound of yours and then you can kill me later. Honestly I'm surprised you haven't passed out by now. That thing's pretty nasty."

The assassin opened his mouth once, closed it, opened it once more. Before he could find words to express his dismay and confusion though, blackness swarmed his vision and unconsciousness hit him harder than a steel train.

Gon gave a sigh and stood from where he'd been sitting, brushing sand off his jeans as he did so. Selver, or rather Killua, lay passed out on the beach at his feet and he cocked his head, watching the supposed assassin.

Daisy, heavy in his arms, calling to her mother, Denien reaching for his hand as he was carried off by a particularly large wave. Shouts and screams around him, the sound of wood splintering, Miriam's curses heard above all else. Futile attempts, thrashing water, fingers slipping away from his as he desperately tried to save anyone besides himself.

The tree line on the edge of the beach was incredibly thick, but after a few feet the foliage began to thin and the trees to disperse. Living in places like this all his life, the Hunter quickly found what he was looking for; a small spring of fresh water. Once located, he returned to the beach and picked up his follower, carrying the limp form out of the sun.

He placed Killua on the river bank before gathering up a handful of moss that he found growing on some of the rocks nearby. In a large wad, the plants held water wonderfully and he was able to use it as a makeshift cloth, dabbing it at the assassin's wound until all the sand and grime was flushed away.

When the other teen (he looked like a teen, but Gon couldn't be sure) was cleaned up as best as he could manage, the Hunter set about using all of the survival skills he'd ever taught himself. First was finding the materials to make a fire. It wasn't needed right now, but he didn't know how cold it would get when the sun set. Plus it would come in handy when he caught them something to eat later.

Next, he followed the spring further into the trees until he found a rather large lake, water a bit murky but clean and bottom littered with smooth stones. It would be perfect for bathing and washing their clothes. He did that, laying his rather ragged outfit on some warm rocks to dry in the sun. In the meantime he found some palm fronds to clean the saltwater from his skin and the grave dirt from his hands.

Normally when you're stranded on a jungle island with another person, and that person is passed out and bleeding, you don't want to leave them laying around amongst some trees. Gon took the risk simply because he knew it was high noon and that most predators would be sleeping in cool, dark places rather than looking for a meal. He returned, dry and clothed, before they could start their prowling.

Killua was still unconscious, but he hadn't expected any differently. He probably had a concussion, and it would take his body time to heal itself. The Hunter was thankful the only thing he'd gotten was a broken arm, which he set using two flexible sticks and the stems of a few cat tails. Of course...if it meant everyone else aboard the ship would have lived then he would gladly take on more injuries, death even. He was supposed to be a professional after all, he should have been able to save at least one of them. Killua had survived on nothing but pure fate. Gon didn't know how he'd managed to stay alive himself.

Brown eyes scanned trees and vines and water slowly before finally landing on a pale face. Smooth skin, sharp features and a lithe body. Oddly enough, though he was half drowned, the assassin actually looked kind of...beautiful. Afternoon sun dappled across his form, creating odd patterns of light and shadow that moved and swayed with the leaves above. A sudden urge to see those amazingly blue eyes again hit Gon rather strongly and he wondered why the teen would ever wear such an awful disguise. He hadn't seen but a glimpse of him without it but just that brief second was a million times more attractive than sickly green irises and hair the color of oil.

Frowning, the Hunter reached out to trail his fingers through Killua's hair. Maybe he could wash the dye from it, reveal the white locks beneath. But then the assassin shifted and Gon withdrew his hand, reminding himself that this situation was serious and not some kind of slumber party. He didn't know why he kept forgetting, many deaths hung heavily in the net of his mind. Killua just seemed to be distracting.

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So I tried to put a little bit of teaser in their for upcoming issues/relationships. Did it work?

~Xen


	6. Chapter Five

A/N: Hello there! I know I was updating kind of quickly there for a while, but I'm slowing down again thanks to school. I'll try and get out chapters maybe every couple of weeks though, at the very least. So hang tight, guys! The good parts are coming.

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For the next three days, Killua floated in and out of wakefulness. The sharp pounding of pain at his temple pushed him back into unconsciousness whenever he surfaced. Unlike waking up on the beach, he wasn't quite as aware of his surroundings or of the person who continually floated around the edge of his vision. His disillusioned mind thought it must be God, because none of his family would ever bother to take care of him. Funny considering he was an atheist.

A fever wracked through his body and kept him at bay from recovering as quickly as he usually did. It burned hot behind his eyes, hotter than the liquid that crawled down his throat everyday, hotter than the midday sun on his skin. It gave him chills that made him twitch when it broke, and made him sweat when it rose. His normally pale complexion shifted between sickly looking greens and heavy reds. Guess his little trip in the ocean had done more damage than he figured.

By the fourth day, the assassin awoke late in the afternoon and for once was able to recall his own name. He stared at the shifting leaves above him for a long time, identifying the types of trees to try and stretch out a mind that felt like it had shrunk in on itself.

When his head no longer felt like someone was taking a hammer to it, Killua sat up very, very slowly. The world tipped around him for a brief second but then things righted themselves and he was able to blink the cloudiness from his vision. A small pool of clear, bright water lay a few feet from him, the surface ever rippling quietly as it picked out a small trail along the forest floor. A clearing encircled the pool, in which he sat. It wasn't terribly large as branches still stretched wide overhead.

On the other side of him, the Zoldyck spotted a ring of stones, the area within charred and covered with ash. There was a twig sticking out of the ground next to it, a cooked fish speared on the end. The ash looked cold which meant the fire had been put out at least several hours ago.

Gon must be taking care of him then. The fuzzy face he saw in his fever dreams had to be him, not God. Killua couldn't help but laugh a little at his own mind, the idea completely and utterly ridiculous. Well...he would have laughed, but couldn't muster the strength to do so. Instead, he laid back down with a sigh and allowed himself to drift off into sleep once more.

When the assassin awoke next, he was greeted with a dark sky. The bottoms of the leaves glowed warmly, as if producing their own light, orange and red and gold. Truthfully there was a fire in the circle of stones a few feet away, letting off small tendrils of smoke and tiny, excitable sparks. They danced upwards before disappearing, like little twinkling fireflies, the kind that roamed the forests around the Zoldyck mansion. More fish were placed around the fire now, looking freshly caught and producing a rather heavenly smell.

Killua sat up once more, finding that the dizziness he'd encountered earlier had faded considerably. He was unsurprised to find Gon resting by the fire, chin on one knee, the other leg stretched out before him as he watched the scarlet flames. His brown gaze was distant, tinted with fire light. The assassin's movement seemed to catch his attention though, as he blinked slowly before turning to look at Killua. A small smile pulled at his lips, something almost fond beneath it. "Would you like some fish? You haven't eaten anything in quite a while."

Killua was instantly on guard. Maybe it was that smile, maybe it was being offered food, or maybe it was simply the fact that he'd been taken care of while unconscious but something made him suspicious of the Hunter. Concern and courtesy and care were all foreign words to him that resulted in nothing but a rather fast heightening of his senses.

Gon laughed suddenly, making the assassin tense his muscles. "Relax, it's not like the food is poisoned or anything. I've been eating it myself."

The pale teen licked his lips slowly, finding that his stomach was feeling rather empty. All the same though, he made no move to go join Gon by the fire. Instead he narrowed his eyes a little.

"How long have I been unconscious?" he asked, voice rather unemotional in every sense of the word.

Another small smile from the Hunter. "Today is day number four. That first day, I picked you up off the beach and brought you here. Since then I've been cleaning up that wound of yours and feeding you some water to make sure you didn't dehydrate."

Killua reached up to touch the injury on his head without thinking about it, finding it beginning to scab over and considerably less painful than it had been. His suspicion reached new levels.

"Why?" he snapped suddenly, irritation peaking through that unemotional veil now. "I told you I was going to kill you, didn't I, that I'm an assassin? So why not just leave me on the beach, or better yet kill me while you had the chance?" It's what he would have done, without a second thought. Why anyone else would do anything different was entirely beyond him.

Gon's expression grew almost serious and he looked like he was debating on whether he wanted to reach out to the pale teen or not. He seemed to decide against it (thankfully, the assassin didn't like being touched but didn't think he'd have the strength to do much about it) and just sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"Because that's what people do," was his rather soft answer. "When someone else is hurt you take care of them, no matter who they are. My Aunt taught me that. Besides, I like you, Killua. I really wanted to know who was following me and now you're right here. I can ask you questions and stuff now." The Hunter gave a large, cheesy smile. "So let's be friends, okay?"

The assassin adopted something similar to a look of horror, suddenly finding himself on unsure and unfamiliar ground. Friends? He wants to be freaking friends?! What in hell was he supposed to do with that? He'd never been taught anything to deal with friends. Nothing except for the fact that he didn't need any. But what to do when that started mixing in with his work? Emotional attachments weren't often considered when killing someone, but what were you supposed to do when your target was attached to you?

And just like that master assassin Killua was stuck with a question he didn't know the answer to, the first time in a long time. (The last time being in some of the more difficult math courses his tutor pushed him through)

Rather than show his confusion, the pale teen wiped the horrified look from his face and adopted one of boredom, letting out a dismissive snort. "Whatever," he drawled. "I'm still going to kill you once I get my strength back. In the meantime, give me one of those fish."

Despite the rather rude behavior Gon just beamed, pulling one of the twigs out of the ground and tossing it over to someone he now considered his new found friend.

Killua caught it easily, pausing to sniff the fish a little suspiciously before eating it in a few bites. Not the best taste in the world, he much preferred chocolate, but it put something in his empty stomach. And as for poison, he wasn't terribly concerned. From a young age all of his food was laced with it unless he went out and bought it himself. But being locked up all the time that wasn't really an option. So he'd grown tolerant to pretty much everything.

Another flying fish caught the assassin a little off guard but he snatched it in midair and then glared over at Gon.

The Hunter was not to be deterred. "Why don't you come sit over here," he chirped, looking way too...happy for Killua's liking. What was wrong with this person? "The fire's warm and I've got a few fruit here too if you want any."

With a snort, the assassin threw back the two twigs his dinner had been on, easily caught by his companion, and laid back down with an angry huff. Facing Gon of course. He wasn't in the best of shapes right now and he didn't trust this stupidly bright child of a Hunter, no matter what he said about wanting to help him.

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Another little note. I want to thank my new beta, Butterfree! She's brilliant and will hopefully be able to keep me on track for the rest of this story. ^^ So everyone say thank you to Butterfree please, as she keeps my writing error free.

~Xen


	7. Chapter Six

A/N; I rather liked this chapter...I've had this scene in my head for a while now and it was nice to finally get it down on paper. (Or...you know, on Word) I hope you enjoy reading it because I enjoyed writing it!

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Even as Killua's breathing evened and slowed, Gon stayed where he was. The assassin was upset and confused, he could read it in every word and movement. But that was okay. It did make Gon a little sad, though. What had the other teen had to go through in order to be that untrusting?

Every breath had been cautious, words chosen carefully. There was a kind of comfort there under the surface, though it was ironic; comfortable in uncomfortable situations. Killua had been on guard and relaxed all in the same moment which spoke volumes. Guess being an assassin did things to you. Sure, it might be advantageous to never have a state of being where you could be taken advantage of, but it also meant that you never truly got to kick back and enjoy yourself.

The Hunter shook his head to dispel the thoughts. No use moping about it. Really the best thing to do would be to prove his own trustworthiness. Not difficult for him, friends were easy to come by and nobody could ever stay mad at him for more than a very short period of time. He just had that kind of effect on people. Hopefully Killua wouldn't be any different. Gon hadn't been lying when he said he wanted to learn more...who had hired him, where was he from, why not attack him before he left for a completely different continent? Just to name a few of his questions.

Again, the dark haired teen shook the thoughts from his head. They could be answered later. For now he followed the assassin's suit and made himself comfortable on the surprisingly soft ground. (Well it wasn't really that soft, but he was used to it so its hardness didn't bother him anymore.)

He laid facing Killua, obviously. Mainly because the way firelight played across those pale features intrigued him. It was like watching a story unfold across every curve and dip and the center of it all seemed to arrange itself around a small, dark scar at the corner of the assassin's mouth.

Gon hadn't even noticed it until just now, it was so tiny, but now it seemed enormous, completely understated and yet overly complicated. The more he looked, the more he found; on the flesh of a revealed shoulder, along the curve of Killua's neck, at the edge of his eyebrow, just under his ear, on the backs of his hands, the sensitive skin of his wrists and following the curve of his jaw. They were everywhere, random and tiny but seeming to make the pale teen up entirely, as if he were made of them. It only spurred Gon's curiosity ever forward until he wanted nothing more than to trace them with the tips of his fingers, wash that dye from pale hair, and remove sickly green contacts to see the blue oceans underneath. He wanted to understand and memorize and follow the tiny threads of conversation until he'd revealed the entirety of the assassin. Everything about Killua just screamed mystery and he'd never felt such a strong urge to uncover something unknown before. Maybe the pull to find his father...yes, the desires were about equal in strength if he put them side by side.

Gon heaved a sigh and turned his back, forcing his mind blank so that he might get some sleep. The fight to find his missing parental figure was a long one, so revealing Killua would probably be just as difficult. Not that he was giving up, he was just resigning himself for the night.

Killua felt...violated. He furrowed his brow and unconsciously folded his arms over his chest. The feeling had been with him all morning ever since he'd woken up and it just wouldn't leave him alone, like someone had smoothed his hair back and slid their hands under his shirt while he slept. Not that they did. If Gon, or anyone for that matter, had tried, they would have found themselves quite dead in the blink of an eye, whether he was up to full strength or not.

The assassin shivered a little uncontrollably, mouth turned down into a disapproving frown. Everything about this mission was turning out to be insanely unpleasant.

Sinking down into the water of the small pond, Killua let out a puff of breath that escaped him via several angry bubbles. His nose and lips were submerged, eyes and the top of his head the only things revealed. Beneath the water he sat cross legged though the rocky bottom was many meters below him. He didn't move, arms still crossed but managed to float as he was anyways. A few minutes later, when he couldn't hold his breath any longer, he tipped his head back, filled his lungs and retained the position again.

The disguise he'd been wearing lay at the edge of the pond, recently scrubbed and drying. (Well honestly it didn't look like it had been cleaned but it wasn't like he had soap or anything)

Killua was supposed to be cleaning himself ('Use these palm fronds, they're a little rough but it gets the dirt out of your skin!' Gon had said) but he was too busy pouting right now. The water was warm where the sun touched it, but he chose to stay in the shadow of a large cliff making up another edge of the body of water where it was colder. The cliff stretched far overhead, taller than the trees on the other edges of the lake. It seemed the island was made of two halves; a low end and a high end. As you went across it, the land just continued to slope upwards, but the progression wasn't always that smooth, as in the example of the cliff where it rose suddenly.

Glancing up at it, the assassin wondered idly if he pushed Gon from the edge if he'd hit some of the jagged edges on the way down. It wouldn't be the cleanest way to kill him, but it was a possibility.

_Too risky,_ Killua eventually decided. _What if he doesn't hit any of the rocks and just falls into the water? That wouldn't even make him blink_. Besides, that kind of method was far beneath him. He knew countless techniques, he'd be wasting them by using a freaking cliff.

Another sigh and the assassin sunk lower into the water, this time until he was completely submerged. He didn't bother closing his eyes, instead letting them adjust to new, dimmer lighting and searching out the open areas around him. Small schools of fish darted about, the kind he'd eaten last night, and a few larger species moved slowly across the bottom.

In the corner of his vision, Killua spotted a dark spot in the face of the cliff. A hole was carved out of the rock, an underwater cave, and the pale teen felt his curiosity peaked. The fish didn't seem to mind, and as he watched a few filtered in and out of the opening. Maybe there were air pockets or even dry areas to climb onto? The assassin had unfolded his body and was about to kick out towards the cave when a call from above the surface of the water caught his attention.

An aggregated huff but Killua propelled himself upwards anyways, a rush of air passing between his lips when he broke surface. Narrowed eyes searched for the source of the noise (most likely Gon, though he had left about an hour before saying something about exploring). When he found nothing amongst the trees he trailed his gaze across the top of the cliff until a small figure came into focus, waving its arms widely. Even from the distance, he could see the stupid grin on the Hunter's face.

"I'm coming down!" came the distant shout but Killua didn't bother responding to it. Instead he crossed his arms and watched the other teen with only half a mind. Maybe he'd hurt himself on the way down. One could hope, couldn't he?

Rather than immediately jump as the assassin was expecting, Gon pulled his tank top off followed by his jeans and then his underwear. Before Killua could complain, the Hunter was standing there stark naked, toes hanging over the edge of the drop. Still grinning he let out a loud whoop and jumped, curling himself into a ball as he fell.

It took Killua a moment as he was still in a state of shock, but he realized almost too late that the free falling Hunter was heading directly for him. Kicking out hard in the water, he moved just before Gon could hit him but was swallowed up in the resulting wave. When he came up again he was spluttering, hair hanging limply in his face.

"What in hell do you think you're doing!?" The words were out of his mouth the moment Gon surfaced. He was faced with a strong urge to cover himself, that same violated feeling creeping up on him once more.

The Hunter laughed, pushing his own damp hair from his face with a wide grin. "What do you mean? I'm having fun!"

Though there wasn't anymore water in his mouth, Killua spluttered again. "Naked!?"

Another laugh and Gon wrinkled his nose a little. "I didn't want my clothes to get wet. Besides, you're naked too, what's the problem?"

What was the problem? The assassin wasn't sure, he just knew there was one, and it was evident by the red tint to his face. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, searching for an answer before finally settling on a disgusted snort.

"You're so weird. Wasn't your arm broken or something? Why would you jump from that high? Not to mention the fact that I'm trying to enjoy a little privacy here!"

"It was," Gon replied, completely unfazed. He lifted his left arm from the water and twisted it to show off some fading bruises. Damn the kid healed fast. "But it's much better now. Marigold is really good for wounds. It's what I was putting on your head too. If you wanted privacy though, you could have just said so. I thought we could have some fun. It's been boring being out here by myself." This time his smile was so large he had to close his eyes. "So c'mon! Your turn to jump next! I can show you the way up the hill if you like."

"Fuck off."

"...what?"

"I said fuck off. Leave me alone. I don't care if you were lonely or whatever. I'm only here to kill you, don't you remember? So go have 'fun' somewhere else."

Gon paused for a second, titling his head to the side. For a moment it seemed like he might just do as the assassin said and leave. But then he smiled gently. "I don't care either. I think we can be great friends, Killua! If you wanted to be alone that's fine though. I need to go check the traps I set anyways. See you later! I'll start making lunch soon so come back to the camp when you get hungry. By the way, you should take those contacts out. Your eyes are so much prettier without them."

With that the Hunter swam over to the cliff face, made a few handholds and quickly scaled the entire thing, presumably to get his clothes back. Killua didn't watch him, unease making his mind heavy. More and more this Gon character was throwing him into confusion. How were you even supposed to respond to someone like him?

_Kill him_, part of his mind answered immediately. It sounded unnervingly similar to his father, but then again most of his thoughts did.

_He's interesting, keep him around for a little longer,_ said another part. This one wasn't a voice he recognized nor one he had ever heard before. It kind of reminded him of his own, physical voice though.

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So yes...review please. This story still has quite a few chapters to go, so I'm aiming for about 100 in total. Just 'cuz it makes me really happy to read them. ^^

Other than that, I'll just thank my readers for staying with me this long and say that I'd be glad to see y'all again next chapter! (Yes, I use y'all, Im southern leave me alone)

~Xen


	8. Chapter Seven

A/N: Wooow. So it's been a while, huh? I apologize for that. My muse has decided to elope with all of my writing skills. I think I may behave finally roped them back in...possibly. Anyways, this chapter is short but enjoy!

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Killua wasn't taking out his contacts just because of what Gon had said. Of course not, that would be ridiculous, an assassin like him following the orders of a petty Hunter. He just wanted them gone. They were hurting his eyes, yeah that's it, they were uncomfortable and pointless now.

The Zoldyck frowned down at his reflection in the pool. The blue of his irises, now revealed, shone brightly on the silvery surface of the water. He blinked a few times before the frown turned into a scowl. Pretty his ass. He was a fucking terror. Professional killers weren't 'pretty'.

Nonetheless, he did have to admit that he didn't really look like he'd been shipwrecked on a desolate island...creamy, pale skin remained flawless, not so much as even touched by the sun. (A trick of nen considering how much he fucking hated being sunburned) His hair was growing out again, looking choppy and a little style-less but attractive in a tousled way. Only a few of the more stubborn areas clung to the black dye, giving him an odd splotchy effect. Gon had told him he looked like a cow.

"No offense of course!" He could hear the Hunter's voice in his head now. "I actually really like cows. They're cool, and your hair reminds me of their spots."

Killua made a scoffing noise and pulled away from the pool, crossing his arms moodily over his chest. Their make shift camp was beginning to look used; foot prints in the dirt, remnants of fire and little odd things laying around that Gon had made from their surroundings. A basket woven out of reeds hung suspended in their little spring of fresh water, containing several fish still living but virtually waiting to be gutted and served.

The annoying teen himself was nowhere to be seen. They'd been here for a little over a week now, the first four days spent healing and the last four battling his conscious. Each afternoon, though, Gon would disappear for several hours on end. Not that Killua minded, it gave him some time to himself, but after several days of this continued behavior the assassin couldn't help but get curious. On this tiny island, what in the world could he possibly be doing? Killua could follow him and find out of course, but he didn't want it to look like he was interested in the Hunter at all. Because he wasn't. Not one bit. The only reason he hadn't killed the dark haired teen yet was because he provided a source of amusement. When the assassin got tired of him, he'd slit Gon's throat and that would be that. He'd come to this conclusion several days before and for the time being it put his mind at rest, though he knew it wouldn't last forever. His families' voices would surely come back to haunt him eventually, pushing him, goading him until he complied with their wishes.

With a sigh Killua effortlessly pushed himself to his feet, hands jammed in his pockets as he decided to quell some of his boredom. There was already a path forming through the undergrowth of ferns that lead to the small lake where he'd bathed a few days before. He hadn't gone back since then, not wanting a repeat of what had happened, but Gon went daily. It was how he caught the major supply of their food, though they also survived off a number of fruits and a few small mammals. fish were still the larger part of their diet.

The trek to the lake was a short one but Killua took it slowly, head thrown back to watch shifting leaves far above his head. The trees here were tall with thick bases and many, leafy boughs. On the outer edges of the forest there was a large population of palms, offering coconuts and easily manipulated fronds. The more inland you went, however, the more oaks and elms you found; not necessarily tropical species but thriving anyways. Vines grew around their branches, draping themselves across and over and under to find some of the best spots of sunlight and below on the forest floor, smaller plants fought for space. It was mainly ferns that dominated the area, but there were grasses too, tall and flowery, and thick shrubs with thorns and woody stems. Had he been into nature, he might have found the place beautiful. But he wasn't so its natural charm went right over his head.

The lake in and of itself was just as beautiful. Dirt faded into pebbles along the shore, trees keeping their distance as if respectful. There were willows here, that draped out and over the water, tiny fish swimming amongst the tendrils of leaves that hung down. There was the quiet buzz of cicadas in the air, droning and sleep inducing and dragonflies flitted about the area, wings transparent but color tinged.

Again, all of this was lost on Killua. Without a word he picked up a good sized stick, zapping the end with a shot of electricity so that it would catch fire. From there he set the torch in the dirt, keeping it upright while he striped away all of his clothes except his boxers. (No way he'd go in completely naked now) The water was pleasantly warm when he slipped into it, flame held over his head with one hand while he swam. He paused, glancing at the torch and focusing for a brief second until he had managed to make a small nen bubble around it. When he dipped it into the water, much to his pleasure, the fire continued to flicker. Ah, the amazing things you could do with nen.

Knowing his plan would now work, the assassin dove underwater, holding his now water resistant torch before him. Its light turned the water around him a golden color, masking everything it didn't touch in darkness. The cave in the face of the cliff was easy enough to find again, and Killua paused outside it. Height wise, it wasn't much taller than him, but in width it had to be at least five meters across. When he held the torch close, it revealed craggy stone walls that dipped and curved and moved backwards into the rock. Where as algae grew on some of the surface outside, once within the darkness of the cave, there was nothing but the occasional fish and most of those had been chased off by the assassin's approach.

It took several minutes to reach the back of the cave and he moved slowly, watching as the rock smoothed itself out little by little until finally he caught sight of something slightly different up above him. The movement of water. Now when you're submerged, because it is surrounding you, you don't normally see water move. But when you place water and air next to each other, you begin to see the ripples and dips and waves, even from below. Which meant there was an air pocket here.

Tentatively Killua reached his hand into the space, recognizing instantly the cool touch of dryness on his fingers. When he could reach past his wrist and still not find any obstacles, he pulled his arm back and instead pushed his head through, cautiously tasting the air on his lips before inhaling. It was stale but not unpleasant, and he when he brought forward the torch he could watch the ceiling slope away from his vision far up above him. To the left was more stony wall, rising up out of the water like some ancient beast. To the right, several meters away, the stone did the same thing, only more gradual, creating an even sort of floor above the water's level.

The assassin wasted no time crawling up onto the shore, waving the flame before him to see how far it stretched. The cave was a small one, tall but not very wide. The air was dank and dark but fresh in a way that didn't make sense. He didn't question it, instead pushing his nose (figuratively) into all the dark corners and crevices he could find. Much to his disappointment, there wasn't much more to see.

Killua flopped to the ground with a sigh, cross legged. Well. He was here. Now what? He'd never been one for adventure, really. No, that was a lie. When he was young and naive he'd wanted to travel the world a million times over. Now he'd seen most of it and was thoroughly unimpressed. So...he found a cave. Whoop-de-doo.

The noise came softly at first, a little buzzing thing that was barely perceptible, softer than the beating of a fly's wing. He ignored it at first. But the noise grew, from tinny and in the back of his mind to the chorus of an entire beehive and Killua's senses went on edge, reaching and checking for any hidden danger. With the noise came a dull ache at the base of the assassin's skull. He winced slightly, fingers pushing up into his hair to find the spot and recoiling with a gasp when he brushed against it.

What the actual fuck?

By now the buzzing was a dull roar and the pain was spreading, down along his spine and behind his eyes, making his vision flash white as he attempted to hold down the food he'd eaten only hours before. Consciousness was slipping away from his grasp and quickly, even as Killua scrabbled to maintain it, to push himself to his feet and shake away the noise, the ache, the way his muscles were seizing. It was all to little avail, like attempting to climb a rope slick with oil, grabbing grabbing grabbing at it, only to have it slip through your fingers as you fell.

Brilliant blue eyes closed and the sound of the assassin's head hitting rock as he slumped over echoed eerily through the cavern.

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Be sure to leave me a review! You know I thrive off of them!

~Xen


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